A close scrutiny of Carl Menger’s Principles (cf. (re)discovering Carl Menger) makes it appear more and more obvious that the original spring of austrian economics is to be found, not only in the french “vieille école libérale”, but more precisely int the writings of Etienne de Condillac. More precisely, in his only economical work: Commerce and Government.
It seems to me that present-days “Austrians” pay a (justified) tribute and attention to Bastiat, and (though much less) to J-B Say.
But what about Condillac, who wrote a century before Bastiat, and was J-B Say’s source of inspiration?
C & G was written in 1776, just like A. Smith’s treatise. And I go as far as to say that Condillac’s masterpiece is the very origin of economical science.
It is true that much can be found before him (Cantillon, Boisguillebert, various spanish schools, etc.). But he wrote the first encompassing economical treatise starting from the discovery of speculation as the very essence of human action, and following its consequences throughout economics and politics.
Turgot did not. Turgot was brilliant, yes, but not systematic.
By the way: what about a Condillac mises institue t-shirt ? and what about : “markets rule governements” as a front quotation ? or commerce vs governement ?